Marked by fate

Diva's POV

I was just a few steps from Jackson's room when I saw that good-for-nothing slave, Rose, bolt out in an agitated state, sweat clinging to her skin, her eyes wide with panic. Did her wolf catch my scent and alert her that I was coming?

I clenched my fists tightly, my teeth grinding together as my chest rose and fell rapidly. "How dare she?" I was fuming. What the hell was she doing in his room?

I hated her the moment she stepped foot into the palace. There was something off about her. The fact that she was an omega, and an orphan, made me loathe her even more.

I would've gone after her right then and crushed her bones if I hadn't come to see Jackson about our wedding plans. She was lucky I didn't catch her in there.

It better not be what I'm thinking... If it is, she'll beg for death, and not find it.

"That slave better not test my patience," I snarled under my breath.

Storming into Jackson's room, I found him slumped on his couch, raking a hand through his hair, his foot tapping restlessly. Broken glass littered the floor, juice spilled across the tiles, and a heavy silence hung in the air like a curse.

There, another maid lay unconscious on the floor.

Jackson wasn't wearing a shirt. Not even a singlet. Just his pants. His bare chest on display, lean and sinful. My entire body vibrated with fury. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I needed answers to this madness.

"What in the hell is going on here?" I demanded, my voice ragged and sharp.

I expected him to be apologetic, to explain what had happened. I was his betrothed, the daughter of his father's Beta. Instead, he glared at me coldly, saying nothing. Still locked in that same distant trance.

"I said, what is going on?!" I screamed, my voice echoing off the walls, loud enough to wake the unconscious maid. She stirred, moaning as she tried to open her eyes.

My stilettos clicked sharply against the tiles as I marched toward her. I grabbed her by the collar and smacked her pale cheek. Whack!

She blinked rapidly, jolting back to life.

"Speak! Why are you here?"

She stuttered, refusing to meet my gaze. Of course she wouldn't, she'd die if she dared.

"I... I was... it..."

"Talk to me!!" I snapped, my patience snapping with it. Rage surged through me, untamed and ravenous.

"Let her go," Jackson said hoarsely, finally speaking after a long silence.

"No! I. . ."

"I SAID LET HER GO!" he shouted, making me flinch.

The maid didn't waste a second, she scrambled up and fled the room like her life depended on it.

I exhaled heavily, exasperated.

"What did you come here for? What's the matter?" Jackson asked, visibly annoyed.

"If anyone should be asking questions, it's me," I barked, raising my voice.

"Hey, keep it down," he warned, pointing a finger at me.

I ignored him. "What were you doing with that slave? Why was she unconscious?"

"That's none of your business, Diva."

I didn't care about the unconscious maid. My concern was Rose, and why she had been in such a disheveled state when she left. That girl must've tried to use her charm on Jackson.

"And why did Rose leave your room drenched in sweat, panting like that?" I demanded.

His face paled, eyes darting anxiously as he wrung his hands. Silent.

Something was definitely going on. And I would find out.

"Cat got your tongue?" I taunted, watching him squirm. He didn't reply, but I'd made up my mind. That wretched slave, Rose, was going to pay for trying to get close to my man, my future mate.

I straightened, reminding myself why I came here in the first place. I wouldn't let that fool ruin my mood. Soon, I'd be the Luna of this great Pack. I would have power, enough to do whatever I pleased. But for now, I had to play it smart.

I moved closer, pecked Jackson on the cheek, and ran my fingers through his beard, trying to distract him. "I came to talk about our wedding," I purred.

He scoffed. "I'm not in the mood for that right now."

I almost slapped him for that dismissive response, but I forced myself to calm down. I had to act like the Luna I was about to become, and respect his position. For now.

"Okay, babe. I'm sorry about earlier," I said sweetly, my voice turning coy. "I only reacted that way because I love you." I trailed kisses across his face, my hands caressing his biceps. Gods, he was so tempting. I could do this all day.

"I want to be alone, Diva," he said firmly.

"But our wedding is in. . ."

"I said, get out!" he snapped.

Furious, I spun around and slammed the door behind me as I left.

"Argh!" I growled, hurling a nearby vase against the wall. It shattered in a burst of porcelain and petals.

A devious smile crept across my lips.

"I'll make Rose pay for this."

Jackson's POV

I needed to clear my head, that's why I sent Diva out. She was suffocating me. Her presence, her voice, her entitlement, it was all too much. And my wolf wasn't helping either, pacing and growling with frustration at the rejection. He was unsettled, conflicted. So was I.

Thoughts swirled in my mind like a storm, overwhelming and unrelenting.

"How could a slave be mated to an Alpha like me?" I muttered to myself, the words barely audible.

I had waited for years to find my mate, always imagining she'd be a strong Alpha or at the very least, a fierce Beta she-wolf, someone who matched my rank, my power, and my legacy. In the meantime, I'd gotten betrothed to Diva. She was a Beta, powerful and well-bred, and we had known each other since childhood. It made sense. She was the logical choice. The honorable choice.

But then the Moon Goddess had the audacity to mate me... to her?

A slave?

She must have made a mistake.

And yet... I couldn't deny her beauty. That cherry-red hair, those striking hazel eyes, the fullness of her red lips, her body was sinfully shaped, impossible to ignore. I had never seen a she-wolf so mesmerizing. Not even Diva came close.

Maybe... maybe I should've had just one night with her before rejecting her.

A mistress. That wouldn't be so bad, right? Keep her hidden, indulge in what I craved, and still marry Diva to maintain my status. But even that thought made my ego ache.

What would people say?

I'd be the laughingstock of the entire pack. No one would ever take me seriously again if they found out I was mated to a lowborn omega, an orphaned slave.

No way.

I shook my head, trying to banish the lingering image of her face, the way her eyes looked at me, full of confusion, pain, and something else I didn't want to name.

I gave her a piece of my mind earlier, and I meant every word. She doesn't belong by my side. She never will.

She's a lowlife.

I can't marry her.

Never.